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Joker Moon
Wild Cards series #29
Edited by George R.R. Martin
Tor, $29.99, 381 pp
Published: July 2021

This is the newest installment in the decades-long-running series called Wild Cards; this is deemed #29.

For those of you who have not yet encountered Martin’s Wild Cards universe, here’s a brief background:  in the 1940s, some aliens decided to use Earth as a proving ground for a virus designed to create super-powered humans.  The virus was released over New York City and can have one of four effects:  mostly normal-appearing but super-powered known as Aces; mostly normal-appearing with a less-than-impressive superpower known as Deuces, a completely non-human, deformed appearance known as Jokers or death by drawing a Black Queen.  The stories have followed different groups of characters since the 1940s.  The series is unique in that each story is a composite done by several authors; they are not anthologies, each is a complete novel.

This was so much better than the last one I reviewed and a pleasure to read.  The story revolves around who gets to ‘claim’ the Moon.  The oldest inhabitant is an Indian woman, Aarti, who is a Joker on Earth and something else entirely on the moon.  She started going to the Moon regularly in 1948 which would pretty much make her the original colonist. Aarti revels in the freedom she experiences on the Moon; freedom from pain and freedom to paint as she wishes. Her painting tends to involve amazing structures that she must either hide or destroy because she recognizes that she could lose all of it if her presence is ever detected.  But, in 1970, the only man she ever loved is tragically killed in Joker-hate riots in Bombay.  She could, if she desired, break up the Moon and launch the pieces Earth-ward to punish those who killed him.  But, she regretfully acknowledges that she could not target the particular rioters and many innocents would be killed at her hand.   

In South Carolina, a young boy in a very wealthy family turns his card…and it’s a Joker.  But being part of a wealthy family and blessed with loving parents, he wants for nothing.  Theodorus is free to study anything he wants, and he and his childhood friend, another Joker named Mathilde, want the Moon.  As a teenager, his fascination with the Moon is fed by his parents’ willingness, in 1981, to fund a visit from the only person to ever fly to the Moon, (under his own power!) Cash Mitchell, with his actual spaceship (see “Deuces Down,” book 16).  But because of this, Aarti’s beloved Moon is invaded by Cash and his partner, Sampson, as they prove yet again that Cash is perfectly able to power a spaceship to the Moon and back again. The experience only further fuels Theodorus’ ambition.  The trip is so quick that although Aarti detected their presence they weren’t there long enough for her to decide whether to kill them or not.

The book isn’t very consistent with dating events but I think it’s 1999 when another mission lands on the Moon; and it’s Russians.  They send an advance team of Jokers with a three-month mission. Unfortunately for them, Aarti still regards the Moon as her personal property and she is still very very angry at all humans for the death of her beloved.  She decided later that she hadn’t really intended to kill them; she just wanted them frightened away.  But she isn’t very happy with herself and embarks on a period of self-castigation.  In her madness, even she isn’t sure how she’ll react when more invaders land on the Moon.

Theodorus, now a young adult, has inherited all his family’s wealth and is one of the richest men on the planet.  He sees no obstacle to his plan to get to the moon; it’s really just a series of steps to develop the technology and plan the logistics.  In fact, it isn’t just to land on the Moon that interests him the most; it’s the idea of making the Moon habitable…particularly for Jokers.  A true Homeland, perhaps…  But there is still the matter of Aarti.  She is, of course, outraged at yet another invasion but time has softened her a bit and curiosity stays her hand.

This is only the setup and the story delves into Theodorus’ plans to terraform the Moon and how he plans to transport every Joker on Earth to his new Joker Homeland.  With just a little imagination, the gentle reader might scoff at the scope of his ambition…as many do.  Not every Joker would actually want to go there; and the story pulls in many familiar faces, on both sides of the question:  Dr. Finn, Bubbles, Troll, Charles Dutton, and the Living Gods of Egypt.  And there remains, always in the back of the story, the question of whether Aarti will allow it; she certainly has the power to do anything she pleases.

Among other interesting characters, I was pleased to spend a little time with Ice Blue Sibyl, a minor character who appeared in “Fort Freak” the 20th book.  We were treated to a little more backstory on her.  She had a small interlude in the story with Jonathan Hive, otherwise known as “Bugsy”, a fascinating Ace character who appeared first in 2008 in “Inside Straight”, book 23.  This was very entertaining and their adventures dovetailed with the political issues that Theodorus was experiencing.

There is a story that, while comes close to the Moon, never actually gets there.  A team of Russian cosmonauts have an adventure in a Soyuz capsule in orbit around the moon.  The story introduces a new Ace, Captain Yuri Star Ghost, formerly the Joker, Flatman, until an accident with radioactivity changes him into a hologram.  It does well as a related story without really impinging on the main storyline and allows Yuri to take off into a potential new story; something to look forward to.

The climax of the story resolves many plot threads, which in a Wild Cards novel really means people; Mathilde, in particular, has the opportunity to show what she’s capable of.  And after Aarti resolves her feelings of ownership of the Moon, in her own particular way, she starts to consider just what else she could be capable of, even at the tender age of 92.  Despite the mayhem and murder between these pages, this was, ultimately, a joyous story.  I really really liked it.

This was a much better storyline than a few previous books and well-plotted.  As a long-time, diehard fan of Wild Cards, I did enjoy the wallow of meeting up with old friends but thoroughly enjoyed being introduced to new ones. This one can stand proud in this pantheon.  Oh, and in case you thought the authors forgot:  Croyd does show up.

Next up is the second book in the British Arc trilogy and after that I think we’ll see the publication of a collection of short stories that have only been available online.  So looking forward to those!  ‘till then…  ~~ Catherine Book

Contributing authors are:
Mary Anne Mohanraj
Steve Perrin
Christopher Rowe
Michael Cassutt
Leo Kenden
Caroline Spector
David D. Levine
Melinda M. Snodgrass
Victor Milan
John Jos. Miller
Walton Simons

For more titles by George R.R. Martin click here

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